o a carriage and had her
driven to Bethlen castle, which was at that time Beldi's property,
hoping that if Banfy knew his wife were imprisoned he would be more
manageable.

* * * * *

After Dionysius Banfy had freed himself from the snare set and the
sound of the pursuit grew faint, he began to take his bearings in the
starry night, and chose his way so successfully through forests and
over stubble fields that by daybreak the towers of Klausenburg were in
sight. Rage now took the place of fear. At first he thought that the
night attack had been only an attempt of his personal enemies, planned
without the knowledge of the Prince by those who knew well that it
was easier to get approval for a deed done than for one to be done.
But the attempt had not succeeded and the lion escaped from the toils
of his foes had still strength enough and the will necessary to turn
on his pursuers and impress them with respect for the law.

In the open field outside the town Banfy's troops were going through
their manoeuvres in the early morning, when their leader rode up to
them with haggard face, head bare, without his caftan and without his
weapons. His chief men hurried to him in terror and met him with a
questioning look.

"I have just escaped from a murderous attack," said Banfy, with husky
voice and breathing hard. "My enemies fell upon me; I have escaped but
my wife is in their hands. By their voices I recognized Kornis and
Daczo among my pursuers."

"In fact Daczo's name is worked on the trappings of this horse," said
Michael Angyal, who came up just then.

Banfy's face was perturbed as if he could get no clear idea of either
past or present.

"I cannot understand the whole affair. If the attack followed a
command of the Prince then there must have been a suit, a summons or
certainly a sentence. If it was only private revenge then my hand is
more than a match for both these good Szeklers. In that case stay here
outside the city ready for an attack, while I hurry back to my
castle. In a few hours I shall know what course we must take."

Banfy rode into town accompanied by Michael Angyal. As he turned the
corner of his palace he had to pass the place where Madame
Szent-Pali's house had stood. Only a corner stone was left, and as
Banfy chanced to look that way he saw sitting on this one stone the
former mistress of the house, who was waiting there for the lord with
her face lighted with fiendi